EP0479368B1 - Système et méthode à écho d'impulsions pour détecter des discontinuités - Google Patents

Système et méthode à écho d'impulsions pour détecter des discontinuités Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0479368B1
EP0479368B1 EP19910202479 EP91202479A EP0479368B1 EP 0479368 B1 EP0479368 B1 EP 0479368B1 EP 19910202479 EP19910202479 EP 19910202479 EP 91202479 A EP91202479 A EP 91202479A EP 0479368 B1 EP0479368 B1 EP 0479368B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
wall
paths
ultra
path
transducer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19910202479
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0479368A1 (fr
Inventor
Kees Cornelis Jacobus Ketelaar
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Hoogovens Technical Services Inspection Systems BV
Original Assignee
HOOGOVENS TECH SERVICES
Hoogovens Technical Services Inspection Systems BV
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N29/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by transmitting ultrasonic or sonic waves through the object
    • G01N29/22—Details, e.g. general constructional or apparatus details
    • G01N29/221—Arrangements for directing or focusing the acoustical waves
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N2291/00—Indexing codes associated with group G01N29/00
    • G01N2291/04—Wave modes and trajectories
    • G01N2291/044—Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a pulse-echo system which uses ultra-sound signals to detect discontinuities or flaws.
  • the system includes a transducer for transmitting and receiving pulsed ultra-sound signals which travel to the wall of an article to be inspected for discontinuities.
  • An example of such an article is a pipe wall.
  • the invention also relates to a method for detecting discontinuities in a wall.
  • This kind of pulse-echo system is known from US-A-4,022,055, which describes the use of reflection means to define a pair of transmission paths for ultra-sound waves whereby the path portions situated between the transducer and the reflection means extend essentially parallel to the wall to be inspected.
  • a first transmission path is directed perpendicularly to a pipe wall to be inspected and the second of the transmission paths is directed at an angle to the said wall so that ultra-sound waves reaching the pipe wall being inspected enter it via this latter path and continue on their course.
  • the first transmission path serves for propagation of ultra-sound waves which serve to determine the thickness of the pipe wall.
  • a problem with this known apparatus is that with the proposed provision of beaming at the pipe wall at an angle, discontinuities may indeed be detected but only those which extend around the circumference of the pipe wall. Sound waves which enter the pipe wall via the second transmission path tend to continue on axially, and have no circumferential component. Consequently cracks or other discontinuities in the longitudinal direction of the pipe wall, or generally parallel to the direction of continuation of the ultra-sound waves may not be detected by this method.
  • US-A-4,502,330 also discusses a system where two paths of ultra-sound signals are directed towards a wall. The paths do not meet in the wall, and the system is used primarily for detecting wall thickness.
  • An object of the invention is therefore to improve detection of discontinuities and flaws.
  • the pulse-echo system in accordance with the invention comprises a transducer for transmitting and receiving ultra-sound signals, reflecting means comprising at least two reflection planes, said reflection planes defining a first and a second path each of which has a portion which is parallel to said wall between the transducer and reflecting means.
  • the two paths meet in the wall essentially perpendicular to each other.
  • the invention also provides a method for detecting discontinuities and flaws.
  • the method comprises providing two paths for said signals which meet in the wall.
  • the angle at which the two paths meet is essentially a right-angle i.e. the two paths are essentially mutually perpendicular at the point at which they meet in the wall.
  • discontinuities beamed at from two directions in this way can usually be detected by the ultra-sound waves of both paths without so much cross-talk occurring from one transmission path to the other transmission path that detection of the discontinuity becomes disturbed. Because the ultra-sound waves are sent into the wall to be inspected in two independent directions, discontinuities with various orientations in the wall being inspected may be detected by analysis of the reflections received back via the first and the second path.
  • pulsed ultra-sound signals are normally employed.
  • the first path for the ultra-sound waves defined by the reflection has a portion which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wall.
  • the second path defined by the reflection means will have a circumferential portion within the wall.
  • the pulse-echo system is characterized in that the first and the second reflection planes are able to move in relation to one another. In this way the length of the first path and of the second path can be made equal to one another.
  • the drawing 1 shows a transducer 2 for transmitting and receiving back ultra-sound waves, located in a pipe 1.
  • a first path of ultra-sound waves is defined by the co-operation of the transducer 2 and a reflection plane 3 which converts an axial path component between the transducer 2 and the reflection plane 3 into a path component 12 in the direction of the inner wall of the pipe 1.
  • This path component has a component which is longitudinal to the axis.
  • the ultra-sound waves which reach the wall of pipe 1 via this path 12 enter the wall and continue on in a direction having an axial component to a discontinuity 4 to be detected in the wall of the pipe 1.
  • This discontinuity 4 causes a reflection of the ultra-sound waves arriving via path 12.
  • the reflected ultra-sound waves travel via path 12 in the reverse direction up to transducer 2 which detects the reflections.
  • the transducer 2 is further linked to an oscilloscope which can make the detected reflections visible.
  • a second path of ultra-sound waves is defined by the transducer 2 in co-operation with a reflection plane 5, the ultra-sound waves being directed by an eccentric mirror 6.
  • the eccentric mirror 6 is needed to direct the waves at the reflection plane 5 which is located somewhat off the centre of the transducer 2 so that the ultra-sound waves are directed onto the inner wall of the pipe 1 in a direction which diverges from that of the first path 12.
  • Propagation of ultra-sound signals takes place via reflection plane 5 along path 13 in the direction of the inner wall of the pipe 1.
  • the ultra-sound waves continue to travel along this path 13 in a direction which is essentially perpendicular to that of the ultra-sound waves of path 12 up to the discontinuity 4.
  • discontinuity 4 reflection again occurs, now of the ultra-sound waves of path 13, in the reverse direction.
  • the reflected ultra-sound waves are then detected with transducer 2 and made visible on the oscilloscope.
  • Reflection plane 5 and reflection plane 3 are able to move relative to one another in such a way that the lengths of the transmission paths 12 and 13 can be made equal to each other and also so that the transmission period of the ultra-sound waves from the transducer 2 up to the discontinuity 4 and back is made equal for both paths. Consequently the differing reflections observed with the oscilloscope occur at the same times thus enabling a simple relative comparison and simplified analysis of the test results.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analyzing Materials By The Use Of Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Velocity Or Position Using Acoustic Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)

Claims (9)

  1. Système à écho d'impulsions pour détecter des discontinuités dans une paroi (1), qui comprend une sonde (2) pour envoyer et recevoir des signaux ultrasonores, un moyen réfléchissant qui comprend au moins deux plans de réflexion (3, 5, 6) lesdits plans de réflexion définissant des premier et second trajets (12, 13) pour lesdits signaux, chaque trajet comprenant une partie placée entre ladite sonde (2) et le moyen réfléchissant, ladite partie étant parallèle à ladite paroi,
    caractérisé en ce que lesdits deux trajets se coupent à angle droit dans la paroi.
  2. Système selon la revendication 1, dans lequel deux plans de réflexion au moins qui définissent lesdits deux trajets sont mobiles l'un par rapport à l'autre pour faire varier la longueur de l'un au moins des trajets.
  3. Système selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel ledit premier trajet (12) comporte une partie qui est parallèle à l'axe longitudinal de ladite paroi, à l'intérieur de ladite paroi.
  4. Système selon l'une quelconque des précédentes revendications, dans lequel le système est apte à détecter des discontinuités dans la paroi d'un tube cylindrique.
  5. Système selon la revendication 4, dans lequel ledit second trajet (13) comporte une partie qui est disposée suivant la circonférence, à l'intérieur de ladite paroi.
  6. Procédé pour détecter des discontinuités dans une paroi en utilisant des signaux ultrasonores, qui comprend l'utilisation d'une sonde (2) pour envoyer et recevoir lesdits signaux ultrasonores et d'un moyen réfléchissant qui comprend au moins deux plans de réflexion (3, 5, 6), lesdits plans de réflexion définissant deux trajets (12, 13) pour lesdits signaux, chaque trajet comprenant une partie placée entre ladite sonde (2) et le moyen réfléchissant, ladite partie étant parallèle à ladite paroi,
    caractérisé en ce que lesdits trajets se coupent à angle droit dans la paroi.
  7. Procédé selon la revendication 6, dans lequel la paroi est une paroi d'un tube cylindrique et l'un desdits trajets comporte une partie placée suivant la circonférence, à l'intérieur de ladite paroi.
  8. Procédé selon la revendication 6 ou la revendication 7, dans lequel l'un desdits trajets comporte une partie qui est parallèle à l'axe longitudinal de ladite paroi.
  9. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 6 à 8, dans lequel la longueur de l'un au moins desdits deux trajets est modifiée pour rendre égales les longueurs desdits deux trajets.
EP19910202479 1990-10-04 1991-09-25 Système et méthode à écho d'impulsions pour détecter des discontinuités Expired - Lifetime EP0479368B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL9002156 1990-10-04
NL9002156A NL9002156A (nl) 1990-10-04 1990-10-04 Puls-echo systeem.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0479368A1 EP0479368A1 (fr) 1992-04-08
EP0479368B1 true EP0479368B1 (fr) 1995-01-25

Family

ID=19857764

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19910202479 Expired - Lifetime EP0479368B1 (fr) 1990-10-04 1991-09-25 Système et méthode à écho d'impulsions pour détecter des discontinuités

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0479368B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH04264258A (fr)
DE (1) DE69106997T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2066338T3 (fr)
NL (1) NL9002156A (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19617455A1 (de) * 1996-05-02 1997-11-13 Siemens Ag Verfahren zur Ultraschallprüfung eines Werkstückes

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4213139A1 (de) * 1992-04-22 1993-06-09 Siemens Ag, 8000 Muenchen, De Verfahren und anordnung zur ultraschallpruefung eines zylindrischen koerpers
DE4220444A1 (de) * 1992-06-23 1994-01-05 Krautkraemer Gmbh Verfahren zur Längs-, Quer- und Schrägfehlerprüfung mittels Ultraschall von Werkstücken nach dem Impuls-Echo-Verfahren
FR2696239A1 (fr) * 1992-09-25 1994-04-01 Cga Hbs Dispositif de détection par ultrasons de défauts dans une conduite cylindrique.
NL9302247A (nl) * 1993-12-23 1995-07-17 Hoogovens Tech Services Puls-echo systeem met een meervoudig reflectiesysteem.

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3481425A (en) * 1967-06-26 1969-12-02 Shell Oil Co Apparatus and method using ultrasonic radiation for mapping the wall of a borehole
US4022055A (en) * 1974-12-02 1977-05-10 Texaco Inc. Pulse-echo method and system for testing wall thicknesses
NL185585C (nl) * 1981-10-05 1990-05-16 Nucon Eng & Contracting Bv Stelsel voor het meten van parameters van een pijp- of buisvormig meetobject.
JPH0232249A (ja) * 1988-07-21 1990-02-02 Power Reactor & Nuclear Fuel Dev Corp 超音波探傷プローブ

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19617455A1 (de) * 1996-05-02 1997-11-13 Siemens Ag Verfahren zur Ultraschallprüfung eines Werkstückes
DE19617455C2 (de) * 1996-05-02 1998-04-09 Siemens Ag Verfahren zur Ultraschallprüfung eines Werkstückes

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69106997T2 (de) 1995-06-08
EP0479368A1 (fr) 1992-04-08
ES2066338T3 (es) 1995-03-01
JPH04264258A (ja) 1992-09-21
NL9002156A (nl) 1992-05-06
DE69106997D1 (de) 1995-03-09

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